U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,940 to LaRocca et al., issued Oct. 27, 1992. This patent discloses in col. 1 and col. 2 that suramin, a polysulfonated napthtylurea has a demonstrated ability to inhibit the activity of various growth factors in vivo. Suramin is known to treat rheumatoid arthritis and related diseases. The '940 patent discloses the usefulness of suramin against autoimmune and allergenic diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, sarcoidosis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, polyarteritis, psoriasis, interstitial and glomerular nephrites, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis, Sjogren's syndrome, asthma and other inflammatory alveolar disorders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,604 discloses a method of inhibiting the complement system by administering multisulfonated naphthalene ureas (see col. 6, line 7).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,293 discloses a method of modulating the complement system by administering arylene sulfate derivatives and their cation salts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,207 discloses sulfate and salts thereof and their use as inhibitors of the complement system. The complement system is stated in col. 1, lines 39 to 46 to play an important role as a mediator of immune, allergic, immunochemical and/or immunochemical and/or immunopathological reactions. Col. 3, line 45 indicates that suramin compounds are known for inhibiting the complement system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,796 discloses modulators of the complement system and describes in col. 6, line 10 that suramin sodium is known for the treatment of hereditary and angioneurotic edema.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,055 discloses in sulfate derivatives and their use as complement inhibitors. Col. 4, line 64 describes that suramin sodium is useful in the treatment of hereditary angioneurotic edema.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,059 discloses 6-naphthalenetri-sulfonic acid salts. Col. 4, line 57 describes that suramin sodium is known for the treatment of hereditary angioneurotic edema.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,524, discloses anti-complementary agents comprising soyasapogenol B compounds. Col. 4, line 17 discloses that suramin sodium is known as a complement inhibitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,903, discloses at col. 3, line 37 that suramin is known as a complement inhibitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,077, discloses at col. 3, line 23 that suramin is known as a complement inhibitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,150, discloses at col. 5, line 16 that suramin sodium is known for the treatment of hereditary angioneurotic edema.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,243, discloses at col. 10, line 34 that suramin sodium causes antibody dependent drug-induced thrombocytopenia.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 124, No. 3, Abstract No. 21284q, published in 1996 discloses the inhibition of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor activity by suramin and suramin analogs. This action is correlated to interaction with the GM-CSF nucleotide-binding site. This publication has a publication date of 1995.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 118, No. 21, Abstract No. 204843s, published in 1996 describes the suppression of polymorphonuclear leukocyte bactericidal activity by suramin.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 92, No. 11, Abstract No. 88004n, published in 1980 describes blockage of the macrophage system and blood lipids with suramin.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 97, No. 7, Abstract No. 54457b with a publication date of 1979. This publication describes the effect of suramin on phago-lysosome formation by poly-glutamic in mycobacterium infection.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 89, No. 11, Abstract No. 84580n, published in 1978. This publication describes suramin effects on macrophage phagolysosome formation and antimicrobial activity.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 101, No. 7, Abstract No. 48367f, published in 1984 describes phagocytic and candidacidal activity on alveolar macrophages from suramin-treated mice. Chemical Abstracts Vol. 100, No. 23, Abstract No. 185492m, 1984, describes the influence of suramin and cyclophosphamide administered in combination on alveolar macrophages.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 100, No. 15, Abstract No. 114605q, 1984, describes the effect of suramin on pinocytosis by rat peritoneal macrophages.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 99, No. 1, Abstract No. 215t, 1993 describes the lung macrophage defense responses during suramin-induced lysomal dysfunction.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 109, No. 25, Abstract No. 221980r, 1988, describes the modulation by suramin of NK and monocytic cell-mediated cytotoxicity in human and murine cells.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 108, No. 23, Abstract No. 198002s, 1988, describes the activation of chicken peritoneal macrophages by suramin.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 123, No. 19, Abstract No. 246203s, 1995, describes the immunoprotective and immunological activities of suramin in hamsters with myeloid tumor.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 121, No. 9, Abstract No. 99107s, 1994, describes the influence of suramin on the expression of Fc receptors and other markers of human monocytes and U937 cells.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 115, No. 7, Abstract No. 64775g, describes the use of suramin to treat rheumotologic diseases.
Chemical Abstracts Vol. 125, No. 13, Abstract No. 158032w, describes the immunopharmalogical effect of suramin on modifying TH subset cytokine levels in spleencites and T-cell clones. Also describes as a therapeutic application for autoimmune disease.
Abstract published Mar. 1, 1996 by Doukas et al. discloses that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and suramin had synergistic activity in interrupting autocrine driven leukemic cell growth.
Lopez et al., European Journal of Cancer Research, The Synergistic and Antagonistic Effects of Cytotoxic and Biological agents on the In Vitro Antitumor Effects of Suramin, Vol. 30A, No. 10, pp. 1545-1549, (1994) discloses that suramin and .alpha.-interferon and .gamma.-interferon did not have synergistic activity against PL-3 tumor cell line.
There is a need in the art for new leukemia treatments. The present invention overcomes deficiencies of prior art leukemia treatments.